State Partnership Program- Tajikistan & Finland


The National Guard’s State Partnership Program has served as a cornerstone for building enduring partnerships between U.S. states and more than 100 partner-nations for over 30 years. Through the SPP, U.S. National Guard units and partner-nation forces engage in a wide array of activities ranging from joint training exercises and personnel exchanges to disaster response and humanitarian aid initiatives.

The SPP, administered by the National Guard Bureau, is guided by U.S. State Department foreign policy goals, and is executed by the state adjutants general in support of combatant commander and U.S. Chief of Mission security cooperation objectives and Department of Defense policy goals by developing enduring relationships with partner-nations and carrying out activities such as military-to-military engagements while also leveraging whole-of-society relationships and capabilities to facilitate broader cooperation spanning military, government, economic, and social spheres.    

The VNG just recently observed the 20th anniversary of its partnership with Tajikistan, and there have been more than 200 exchanges during that time. The VNG and Republic of Tajikistan have conducted exchanges on subjects like communications, infantry tactics, checkpoint security, civil engineering, and medical evacuation.  

The Virginia National Guard formalized its partnership with the Finnish Defense Forces during a signing ceremony May 2, 2024, at the Finnish Ministry of Defense in Helsinki, Finland. The letter of intent, signed by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, Finnish Minister of Defense Antti Häkkänen, and Maj. Gen. James W. Ring, the Adjutant General of Virginia, officially recognizes the pairing of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Finland and the VNG as part of the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program.  

The SPP agreement between the VNG and Finnish Defense Forces builds on several decades of friendship and partnership between the two organizations. Finnish troops served alongside the Fort Belvoir-based 29th Infantry Division during the Stabilization 10 rotation in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2001-2002, and VNG personnel have trained side-by-side with their Finnish counterparts on numerous occasions over the years. 

SPP News

Capt. Joshua McAnnally, the bilateral affairs officer to Tajikistan, explores Tajikistan. McAnnally says his family has adapted well living in Tajikistan. As a BAO, McAnnally manages defense and security cooperation between Virginia and Tajikistan.
Bilateral affairs officers serve as vital connection between VNG, SPP partners
June 2, 2025
As part of the National Guard State Partnership Program, Virginia is paired with both Finland and Tajikistan to engage in a wide array of military activities, ranging from joint training exercises and subject matter expert exchanges to disaster response and humanitarian aid initiatives. Key components of these SPP relationships are the work and dedication of bilateral affairs officers — Virginia National Guard officers who live in Finland and Tajikistan and manage defense and security cooperation between Virginia and the officers’ host countries.
Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers conduct a mountain warfare exchange with members of the Tajik military April 21 - 25, 2025, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The engagement was conducted in support of the Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program, in which Virginia and Tajikistan have been formal partners since 2003. The exchange focused on developing and refining mountain warfare fundamentals, while fostering collaboration between U.S. and Tajik forces. A total of 25 Tajik participants, representing four different organizations of the nation’s defense forces, took part in the training. Ranks ranged from junior officers to senior lieutenant colonels.
VNG Soldiers conduct mountain warfare exchange in Tajikistan
May 5, 2025
Three Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers conducted a mountain warfare exchange with members of the Tajik military April 21 - 25, 2025, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The engagement was conducted in support of the Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program, in which Virginia and Tajikistan have been formal partners since 2003.
Four Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers conduct a close-quarters battle exchange with members of the Tajik military April 7 - 11, 2025, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The engagement was conducted in support of the Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program, which has connected Virginia and Tajikistan since 2003.
VNG Soldiers conduct close-quarters battle exchange in Tajikistan
April 22, 2025
Four Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers conducted a close-quarters battle exchange with members of the Tajik military April 7 - 11, 2025, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Finnish Maj. Gen. Timo Herranen, commander of the Finnish Air Force, tours the Virginia Air National Guard’s 192nd Wing and meets with Virginia National Guard leaders April 7, 2025, at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia. Members of the 192nd Wing showcased the VaANG's mission capabilities including the F-22 Raptor, the Expandable Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen, the 203rd Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers and the 185th Cyberspace Operations Squadron. The visit was conducted in support of the State Partnership Program, in which Virginia and Finland became formal partners in 2024. Read more about the SPP with Finland at https://vngpao.info/sppfinland.
Finnish Air Force commander tours 192nd Wing, meets VNG leaders
April 14, 2025
Finnish Maj. Gen. Timo Herranen, commander of the Finnish Air Force, met with Virginia National Guard leaders April 7, 2025, at Joint Base Langley-Eustis. The visit was part of the Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program, which established a partnership between Virginia and Finland in May 2024.
Soldiers assigned to the 237th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group stand together in front of the ‘Eleven Row’ anti-vehicle obstacle they constructed to demonstrate U.S. counter-mobility tactics for Finland’s Kymi Engineer Battalion.
237th Engineers train with Finnish counterparts during Arctic Forge 25
March 10, 2025
A platoon of Virginia Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the West Point-based 237th Engineer Company, 276th Engineer Battalion, 329th Regional Support Group recently took part in a cold-weather training exercise with the Finnish Defense Force, marking a milestone in the VNG's partnership with Finland.